With all the chatter around the Prime Minister’s proposed ‘Just Transition’ plan, and the nuances surrounding what caused the federal government to change the name to ‘Sustainable Jobs,’ I gathered the courage to download the 32 pages headlined: ‘Sustainable Jobs Plan.’ It turns out it is not something one does for entertainment on a Saturday night.
The article discusses various predictions and concerns for Canada in 2023, including inflation, economic growth, and tensions between resource-rich provinces and climate-frenzy Ottawa. The fastest-growing economies are predicted to be Guyana, Libya, and Venezuela due to oil and gas development and political stability. There is also a rise in environmentalists looking to end the fossil fuel industry, which is causing tension with oilfield workers. Housing insecurity and economic hardship are also concerns. Additionally, the article notes that Canada has spent millions of dollars on COVID isolation hotels due to a lack of notice of vacating.
While I planned to talk about ‘The Good & The Bad of 2022’, there truly is an “Ugly’ component that can’t be overlooked because of its influence on the outcome. 2022 has been a challenging year, full of complexities, surprises and most concerning times. As the days wound down to December 31, it seemed the tone might have just carried forward into 2023 if things were not talked about. For me personally, it truly does feel like we have lived through one of the most difficult times in our country.
The push to rebrand Calgary is on the table again. Is the reason to appear more cosmopolitan, or is re-branding the same as changing the curtains in the office when new occupants move in? It was said that some feel the city is dominated by corporate and cowboy culture, and it is difficult to fit in if you do not identify with either of those segments. It is also difficult to have a vibrant city without corporate dollars invested. And when did ‘cowboy culture’ become shameful? I was under the impression people choose a city for more opportunity or a more desirable lifestyle, not to change it to something they left – otherwise why move? Being a lifetime Calgarian myself, I admit this did set my nerves a bit on edge.
Dutch farmers are fighting for their farms and their livelihood. For weeks they blockaded highways, streets, food warehouses and government buildings with tractors, trucks, hay bales and manure. The Dutch government is imposing new ‘new green’ policies that they acknowledge will put many farmers out of business. All this on the pretext of protecting the environment.
I have always believed that business and team sports have a lot in common. The greatest Canadian coach of all time, Claire Drake used to say, “It’s amazing what you can accomplish when no one cares who gets the credit.”
The most common street talk now is around ‘ ESG ‘ reporting. So what does that mean for Canada, and
in particular Alberta? We know it is tied to climate change, but then when isn’t that the popular excuse for all rising costs ?
Life on earth has never been perfect, but you would have a tough time convincing some people of that. It is not that they are ignorant, but governments appear to have selective memories.
